Volume 2 of a Transitional Year
Eclectic Revisited | Arizona | 02/17/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Old line melodies like in "April Love" and "Tammy" continued to flourish despite the advent of Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis, etc. Fats Domino made a classic with his version of "Blueberry Hill" (although even Gene Autry had sung it in a movie near the beginning of World War II). "Little Darlin'" as done by the Diamonds was a song to make fun at the sappy lyrics of the genre. (A more serious version by another group bombed). Gale Storm scored with "Dark Moon", overshadowing the version of Volume I. (Gale was a TV star and movie ingenue). "Happy Happy Birthday Baby" may be forgotten today but it is a great song served up by the Tune Weavers. Mickey and Sylvia's "Love is Strange" is a memorable tune that was used in the movie "Dirty Dancing". (It would have been an oldie even in 1963 when the movie is set). Rockabilly's Joe Bennett makes an appearance with his group. And "Old Cape Cod" is there to remind us that rock and roll is not the ONLY game in town."